Marlins mania Psyching themselves up for Marlins Mania night, coming Monday, Nov. 8, are (from left) varsity players Dillon Martin, Mac Owens and Tanner Merrill and challengers Keith McMullin, Scott Burroughs and Joe Kocurek. Martin, Owens and Merrill, all seniors, will put together teams to compete during the fundraising event, while McMullin and Burroughs will play on an adult squad and Kocurek will compete as a faculty team member. Money raised will go toward transportation to out of town basketball tournaments. STAFF PHOTO BY PHIL REYNOLDS Hang on to your hats – Marlin Mania is coming to town. And if you don’t have a hat to hang onto, you can probably pick one up there.

The madness starts at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 8, at the Port Aransas High School gym, when food booths open and teams get ready to take the floor.

However, these won’t be like any teams you’ve ever seen.

Teams composed of Port Aransas faculty and of other adults will be on hand to compete, and the three seniors on the Marlins varsity will each form a team of his own.

While not all the team members have been announced, inside sources say the adult team will include former Marlins standout James Pate as well as Mayor Keith McMullin and Police Chief Scott Burroughs.

In this case, basketball talent won’t be enough; luck will probably play a bigger part than ability. Events will include a free throw contest wearing sun glasses and using a special ball; a half-court shoot; an egg race (how you get the egg to the other end of the gym is up to you, but if you break it you must start over) and whatever other craziness head coach Joe Kocurek can devise.

Funds raised will help pay for trips to out of town tournaments for the Marlins team.

A ticket ($10 for adults, $5 for kids) will get pizza from Port A Pizzeria plus a drink and a ticket for a door prize.

Kocurek said also that some retro Marlins jerseys have been found; they’ll be sold to those who may want to bring back memories of Marlins teams from the past.

There’s even a chance some could be autographed, if you catch the right person at the right time.

The team’s new uniforms will be modeled during the evening, although the models’ identities remain shrouded in secrecy.

The winning team will leave with the Marlin Trophy – whatever that turns out to be.

Team supporters will be able to buy shirts and Marlin Booster Club memberships during the event – and maybe a hat, if you didn’t have one to begin with.

“We’d know students and parents are supporters of the Marlins,” Kocurek said. “We’d like the rest of the community to come out and have a good time, meet the athletes and become Marlins supporters as well.”